U.S. patent number 4,860,929 [Application Number 07/133,534] was granted by the patent office on 1989-08-29 for dispensing device for soluble granular materials.
Invention is credited to Nicholas J. Allen, Christopher H. Lowe.
United States Patent |
4,860,929 |
Lowe , et al. |
August 29, 1989 |
Dispensing device for soluble granular materials
Abstract
A dispensing device for a soluble granular material is
disclosed, which device comprises a tube formed of a
liquid-impermeable material and of unitary construction, the tube
being closed at both ends and having perforations along a portion
of its length at or close to one end, and containing a soluble
granular material. Preferably the lower end of the tube has a
flattened, paddle-like portion, and the perforations are arranged
linearly along opposite sides of the tube aligned with the edges of
this flattened portion.
Inventors: |
Lowe; Christopher H.
(Forrestfield, Furnace Green, Crawley, Sussex, GB2),
Allen; Nicholas J. (Highgate, London N6, GB2) |
Family
ID: |
10609054 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/133,534 |
Filed: |
December 16, 1987 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Dec 16, 1986 [GB] |
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8629966 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
99/323; 206/.5;
426/85; 426/134; 99/295; 426/77; 426/115 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G
21/004 (20130101); B65D 85/808 (20130101); A23P
10/10 (20160801) |
Current International
Class: |
A47G
21/04 (20060101); A23P 1/00 (20060101); A23L
1/00 (20060101); A47G 21/00 (20060101); B65D
81/00 (20060101); A47J 031/00 (); B65B
029/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/189,92,192
;99/323,295 ;206/.5 ;239/33 ;426/77,85 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Rolla; Joseph J.
Assistant Examiner: Huson; Gregory L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Poms, Smith, Lande & Rose
Claims
We claim:
1. A dispensing device for a soluble granular material
comprising:
an elongated cylindrical plastic tube of continuous unitary thin
walled plastic construction as found in a straw;
said tube having a diameter of between 0.3 and 1.5 centimeters and
said tube having a length of between 10 and 20 centimeters;
said tube having first and second ends, said first end being heat
sealed and formed into a flat paddle, having a transverse extent
greater than the diameter and a thickness of substantially twice
the wall thickness of said tube and constituting means for stirring
a liquid, and said second end being sealed;
particulate material within said tube adjacent said first end
thereof;
said tube having perforations through the side wall thereof in two
zones only, the first directly adjacent said first end and the
second at diametrically opposite sides of the tube extending
longitudinally on the tube and aligned in a plane defined by the
paddle to permit fluid engagement with said particulate material
when immersed in fluid and prevent leakage of residual fluid from
the tube when laid on a horizontal surface after use;
whereby said dispenser may be immersed in a cup of hot liquid and
said particulate material dispensed into said hot liquid, with said
paddle serving to stir said liquid.
2. A dispensing device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the body of
said tube is in the form of a plastic straw.
3. A dispensing device as set forth in claim 1 where said
particulate material is a soluble granular material.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a dispensing device for soluble granular
materials and, more particularly, relates to such a device in the
form of an elongate tubular device of unitary construction sealed
at both ends.
Telescopic tubular packaging/infusion units are known. For example,
U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,465 discloses a packaging/infusion unit which
comprises two parts, one being a sheath element permanently closed
at one end and accommodating, via its other end, a foraminate
charge-holding element. The latter may be completely retracted into
the sheath element, and the device in this configuration may be
sealed by a closure cap. Devices of this type are relatively
complicated to fabricate and have not found acceptance in the
market place. Although U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,465 issued on Sept. 3,
1963, there have not to our knowledge been any developments in the
interim period which have enabled tubular packaging/infusion
devices to gain market acceptance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a tubular
dispensing device which is simpler to produce than the
packaging/infusion unit disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,465.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a dispensing device for soluble granular materials, which device
comprises a tube formed of a liquid-impermeable material and of
unitary construction, the tube being closed at both ends and having
perforations along a portion of its length at or close to one end,
and containing a soluble granular material. The solvent for the
soluble granular material will in practice often be water, but the
invention is not limited to granular materials which are
water-soluble.
It will be appreciated that the grain size of the granular material
and the size of the perforations are selected so that the granular
material is prevented from spilling out via the perforations.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferably, a device in accordance with this invention resembles
and/or is formed from a drinking straw (e.g. formed of a synthetic
polymeric material such as polyethylene or polypropylene). In order
to fabricate a device in accordance with this invention, such a
straw may first be sealed at one end, e.g. by clamping the end of
the tube between hot metal plates. Next the granular material is
poured into the straw after which the open end is sealed, for
example by clamping it between hot plates. Perforations are
provided along a portion of the length of the straw, and these will
usually be formed prior to the filling of the straw with granulr
material. The ease of fabrication of the device will thus be
readily appreciated.
Preferably, the lower, sealed end of the tube has a flattened
portion, and the perforations in the tube are located along the
sides of the tube where an imaginary extension of the flattened end
portion would intersect with the sides of the tube. There may in
addition be further perforations adjacent to the flattened end
portion. We have found that such an arrangement does not retard the
rate of dissolution of, for example, sugar when the dispenser is
used, but has the added advantage that is prevents drips or
spillage when the dispenser is laid flat after use. Where the
perforations are arranged in lines as just described, the dispenser
of the invention lends itself to fabrication by a laser drilling
technique. For example, an open ended tube of the desired length
and diameter may first of all have one end (the lower end) sealed
by a hot clamping technique which also serves to form the flattened
portion, after which the tube may be drilled in the desired
locations by laser, then filled with the intended soluble, granular
material (e.g. sugar or soluble coffee granules) and its other
(upper) end sealed. Thus the dispenser can be manufactured by a
simple, linear production scheme. If desired, the initial tube may
be fabricated at the beginning of the line, e.g. by extruding,
drawing or moulding a plastics material.
The invention is expected to find its main application for use as a
sweetening device. When the soluble granular material is sugar or
an artificial sweetener, e.g. saccharin, in finely divided form, a
device of this invention when stirred into a cup containing a
beverage such as tea or coffee results in rapid dissolution of the
sweetener and its dispersion, via the perforations, into the
beverage. To aid dispersion of the sweetener or other granular
material, that end of the device adjacent the perforations may be
flattened (e.g. during the clamping operation described above) to
provide a paddle-like portion.
Preferably, the perforations extend over about 3-8 cm of the length
of the device. Conveniently, the device will be 10-20 cm in length,
and from 3-15 mm (typically about 8 mm) in diamter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTON OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the
same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way
of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 show a second embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the article shown in FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is a view of the article of FIG. 2 rotated about its
longitudinal axis through 90.degree..
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring first to FIG. 1, the dispenser in accordance with the
invention comprises a plastics straw 1 sealed at its bottom end 2
by a hot clamping device and having, adjacent to the sealed end 2,
a series of perforations 3. These extend approximately half way
along the length of the straw. As will be apparent, the end 2 of
the device is flattened and constitutes a paddle which assists in
stirring the beverage with which the device is used. The upper end
4 of the straw is also heat-sealed. A fine granular material 5,
e.g. sugar or saccharin, is encapsulated within the straw.
The embodiment of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 is similar to that of FIG. 1
except in the location of the perforations; the same reference
numerals are used to denote the same features throughout. In the
embodiment of FIG. 2, the perforations 3 are located only along
opposite sides of the tube 1 and are aligned with the edges of the
flattened paddle 2, with additional holes 3 immediately adjacent to
end 2 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). As described earlier, this arrangement
is preferred because it is more hygienic in that because of
capillary action drops of liquid do not spill out when the
dispenser is laid onto a surface after use.
In use, the device is held close to its upper end 4 and is inserted
into a beverage in the manner of a spoon. By producing a stirring
action, the granular material 5 within the device rapidly dissolves
as a result of contact through perforations 3, and is dispersed
into the beverage. Because of its light weight and relatively
inexpensive nature, the device is intended to be discarded after
use.
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